• One educator in North Carolina tried her luck with a $1 Cash 5 lottery ticket
• The fortunate woman was surprised by a life-changing $172,302 jackpot win
• Players have a chance of winning a range of prizes from Cash 5, including a rolling jackpot that grows until won

An incredibly lucky teacher who tried her luck with a $1 lottery ticket in North Carolina won a life-changing prize.

The fortunate winner was able to beat the odds of one in one million for a sweet $172,000 jackpot from Cash 5, the North Carolina Education Lottery announced earlier this week.

$1 Cash 5 lottery ticket turns into a $172K jackpot

The fortunate Charlotte resident decided to pick a Cash 5 ticket after a day at school.

On her way home, the lucky woman stopped at Saturn Petroleums on Little Rock Road in Charlotte and purchased a $1 Cash 5 ticket, selecting the Quick Pick option.

To the surprise of the teacher, she won the top prize from the popular lottery game on its April 24 drawing for a sweet $172,302 jackpot win.

Earlier this week, the woman visited the North Carolina Education Lottery's headquarters to claim the big win.

After the applicable state and federal taxes, the Charlotte resident's bank account increased by nearly $124,000.

Asked if she had any plans regarding the unexpected windfall, the winner admitted that she would use the winnings to buy a new car.

In an interview for an official from the Lottery, the Charlotte resident said: "It was the most exciting feeling I’ve ever had. It was unreal."

The lucky winner said that she had previously matched four winning numbers and admitted that those wins encouraged her to continue playing, hoping that she would one day match five numbers for the top prize.

"I matched four balls two other times. That’s what made me think I could get all five one day," the woman said.

When she was asked how she felt after winning the Cash 5 jackpot, the Charlotte resident said that it was thrilling, adding that it "still hasn’t sunk in yet."

Cash 5's jackpot is estimated at $260K

The odds of winning the top prize from the North Carolina Education Lottery's Cash 5 game are 1 in 962,598.

Drawings of the popular game are held daily at 11:22 PM.

The cost per play is $1 and players have a chance to win a prize between $1 and a rolling jackpot that starts at $100,000.

At the time of writing, the jackpot from Cash 5 is an estimated $260,000.

The overall odds of winning any prize from the popular lottery game are 1 in 10.5.

Image credit: Pixabay.com